Civil Process - Civil Actions

Florida State Statute requires the sheriff’s office to serve all enforceable civil process. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office will serve the following process:

  • State Witness Subpoenas – Issued by the State Attorney’s Office or Public Defender’s Office
  • Writs of Garnishment (Government entity only)
  • Writs of Replevin
  • Writs of Possession
  • Levies/Judgments
  • Child custody pick-up orders
  • Denied injunctions for protection against repeat violence
  • Ex Parte Baker Act & Marchman Orders issued by the court
  • Any other process issued by a government entity

If you are a private citizen or an attorney and are in need of having a non-enforceable civil summons or subpoena served, you will need to contact a private process server.

Click here to obtain a list of private process servers

If you have questions about these and any other civil actions, please be advised that the Pinellas Sheriff’s Office cannot dispense legal advice. However, here are answers to some of the more commonly asked questions.


Payment for Civil Process

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Court Processing Unit accepts the following forms of payment for services:

  • Check (in-state only)
  • Money order
  • Cash (must be exact amount)
  • Credit card (through GovPayNet with processing fee) use: PLC 8384


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Payments can be made in person at the Court Processing Unit office

14500 49th Street North, Suite 106
Clearwater, FL 33762

By mail

Attention: Court Processing Unit
P.O. Drawer 2500 Largo, FL 33779

Online

Pay Now

Subpoenas

If you have a question about a witness subpoena, please call 727-582-6242.
Questions about a case for which you are being subpoenaed should be directed to 727-464-6090.
The sheriff’s office is merely the issuing authority, and will have no knowledge about the case.


Removal of Persons Who Have Unlawfully Take Over Property. "Squatter" (Not an Eviction):

The Squatter Law applies to extreme and unique circumstances where someone has taken over your property without your permission. This process does not take the place of a normal landlord/tenant eviction and does not apply to businesses. If you believe you are a victim of a person(s) unlawfully taking over your property, and are entitled to have the occupants immediately removed, a deputy will respond to your residence and remove the occupants. Before this can happen, you will need to complete a complaint form, provide a copy of your identification, and pay a $90.00 fee. If requested, the deputy will stand by while you remove any items belonging to the occupants who were just removed. If the deputy stands by for an extended period, there may be an additional charge.

  1. Print the form titled “Complaint to Remove Persons Unlawfully Occupying Residential Real Property, “Squatter” from this download link.
  2. Go to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Court Processing Unit located at the Administrative Services Building (14500 49th Street North, Suite 106) to have your paperwork processed. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You will need to have your government-issued identification and a $90.00 processing fee payable via cash, check, or credit card. If after hours, contact the Court Processing Unit at 727-582-6192. Once this is completed, a deputy will meet you and remove the occupants.

Landlord /Tenant Issues

If you have a question about landlord/tenant Issues, levy/judgment, or Writ of Replevin, please call 727-582-6240.

Please review the information on the website of the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court for landlord/tenant forms to complete an eviction. This website has additional information on civil and small claims court actions.

Consult the Florida State Statutes on landlord/tenant matters on the web by going to www.leg.state.fl.us and clicking on “Laws.”


Levy Information

Download the packet for Execution of a Levy (PDF). The six-page packet includes two pages of information and four pages of forms required for this action. For more information, please call 727-582-6240.

New Levy Fillable Forms:

Instruction For Levy (PDF)

Affidavit For Real Property Pursuant To F.S. § 56.27(4)(A)(B) AND (C) (PDF)

Affidavit Of Levying Creditor's Review Of The Department Of State's Database (Personal Property) F.S. § 56.27(4) (PDF)


Child Custody Pick-Up Orders

To obtain a child custody pick-up order, submit the required paperwork at the clerk’s office. Then, bring the order along with a $50.00 fee or a certificate of indigency to the Court Processing Unit. Our office is located at 14500 49th Street North, Suite 106, Clearwater, FL. Please call us at 727-582-6242 before your visit.

Child custody pick-up orders from another state need to be domesticated by a Florida court before the sheriff’s office can enforce them. Please call the Pinellas County Clerk of the Court at 727-464-7000 for further information.


Out of State Summons Service

If you wish to have an out of state summons served, and you are not a government entity, you will need to contract with a private process server, click here for a list (updated monthly).

Please mail to this address for U.S. mail service:

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Attention: Court Processing Unit
P.O. Drawer 2500
Largo, FL 33779

The amount of the check should be $44.00 for substitute service; if you require personal service, the check should be $54.00.

You will need to send two copies of everything to be served.

If using Federal Express or UPS for process of service requests, send to:

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Attention: Court Processing Unit
10750 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33778

If you need to visit our physical location, park on the north side of the Administrative Services Building at:

Administrative Services Building
14500 49th Street North Suite 106
Clearwater, FL 33762


Baker Act or Marchman Orders

For information pertaining to the issuance of a court-ordered Baker Act or Marchman Act, please contact the Pinellas County Clerk of the Court Probate Division.

Clearwater Courthouse 727-464-3092